What's your thoughts on this?

[Huntaholic]

My wife applied for her hunting/fishing license with her elk tag application this year and we have yet to receive it in the mail. So I called the GnF and ask when should we expect it to be mailed out and I was told by the 24th of April. To me this seems like a long time for them to issue and mail out a license. We were planning a fishing trip this weekend so I then asked what if she wanted to go out fishing between now and the time she gets her license and the person at the GnF looked it up on her computer and sure enough my wife was issued a license but it just hasn't been mailed yet. I was then told that we should go get a duplicate license if my wife wanted to go fishing this weekend. I was quite shocked by this answer I thought for sure that the GnF would have been able to email us a temp license or something similar to print out showing that she has been issued a license but no that wasn't the case. I never thought that we'd be told to go out and pay for a duplicate if she wants to go out fishing because they haven't mailed out the license yet. Was the person at the GnF correct in telling me this? To me it just seems like A) there should be some way that the GnF could grant someone the right to hunt or fish while waiting for your license to be mailed out and Why in the heck does it take sooo long to mail out a license in the first place.

[IHunt2live]

I would call again and see if they can't get you the license #. If you are check the WM MIGHT be ok with that given the situation. But I realy don't know for sure.

[Browning'sCustomMeat]

Its $4.oo for the duplicate fish. I would say just get it, it would save a lot of headache and there would be no issues if you happen to be checked.

 

-Jeremy-

[willhunt4coues]

The reason they told you that is so they can make even more money on the duplicate. That is why I have always just bought mine at the local walmart when they go on sale in Sept. The more money they can make the better.

[Huntaholic]

I'll call back and see if there's any other options as far as getting the license #. We'll probably have to end up getting a duplicate. Its not the money that bothers me its the principle of it. I still feel there should be a grace period or something for the people getting there licenses through the mail especially if it takes them so long to mail them out to you. They cashed our check about a month ago and we have yet to get the license. Imagine if you paid for internet service and it took over a month for you to get it. Call me old fashion but I find this kind of service unacceptable. I see no reason why it should take this long but if there is a good reason then there should definitely be some sort of temp license one could get. O well I we'll be getting our licenses at the store from now on. Too bad because I really liked the printed out licenses from the GnF.

[grizzly]

Serves you right for letting your wife steal my tag. Maybe next year you stay out of the draw and I get a tag.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

Not sure how close you are to a headquarters office, but I have always had better luck talking to them in person. The ladies up at the one in Pinetop are pretty easy to work with.......so four bucks in gas or four bucks for the duplicate.......

[Huntaholic]

Serves you right for letting your wife steal my tag. Maybe next year you stay out of the draw and I get a tag.

 

I sure wish my wife was the one who stole your tag but we both got skunked in the draw this year.

[punxsutawn]

I ran into the same issue a couple of years ago and got the same response. They were quite smug about the whole thing and told me I should have read the regs better. Sure enough, it is in the regs. For what we pay in fees, they would be a little more accommodating!! They didn't even suggest at that time that I could have bought a duplicate license! Now I'm twice as mad!!! I now ALWAYS buy a license and then apply for the permits. Not that I got drawn this year, but at least I can go fishing and/or varmint hunting....

 

[billrquimby]

I'll call back and see if there's any other options as far as getting the license #. We'll probably have to end up getting a duplicate. Its not the money that bothers me its the principle of it. I still feel there should be a grace period or something for the people getting there licenses through the mail especially if it takes them so long to mail them out to you. They cashed our check about a month ago and we have yet to get the license. Imagine if you paid for internet service and it took over a month for you to get it. Call me old fashion but I find this kind of service unacceptable. I see no reason why it should take this long but if there is a good reason then there should definitely be some sort of temp license one could get. O well I we'll be getting our licenses at the store from now on. Too bad because I really liked the printed out licenses from the GnF.

 

Game and Fish is not the only government agency that can drag its feet. I own land in Santa Cruz County, which I leased to a rancher for grazing starting December 2008. I immediately applied for agricultural tax status, which will represent at least $3,500 year savings for me in annual property taxes. When I called the county assessor's office a couple of weeks ago I was told my application had been approved, but it will not take effect until tax notices are sent out in September 2010! With your wife's license, it's understandable that Game and Fish might not have a system that allows her to go fishing. But for a county assessor to charge a taxpayer nearly $300 month for a full year after a tax status has changed is unconscionable, indefensible and flat-out wrong!

 

Bill Quimby